The records in this series are the direct result of "An Act concerning marriage licenses," passed by the New Jersey Legislature on 18 May 1897 (P.L. 1897, chap. 193, p. 378). According to this law, as of 1 July 1897 prospective marriage partners--if both were living outside the state but wished to be married in New Jersey--were required to obtain a license from the clerk of the county in which the marriage was to be performed. The legislation also authorized the county clerks to demand certain facts from the applicants to ensure that there were no legal impediments to the marriage.

The 1897 law further stipulated that marriage officiants complete original and duplicate marriage certificates provided by the clerk. The original was to be given to the bride and groom; the duplicate certificate to be returned to the county clerk. The clerk was then directed to transmit the certificate and a copy of the license to the State Bureau of Vital Statistics for permanent filing.

Legislation in 1910 removed the responsibility for issuing marriage licenses to non-residents from the county clerks' offices (P.L. 1910, chap. 274). This law directed that after 1 July 1910, non-resident licenses would be issued by the registrar of vital statistics, clerk or assessor (whichever appropriate) in the municipality in which the marriage ceremony was to be preformed.

Content Note

This series includes non-resident marriage license applications from Burlington County for the period July 1897 - October 1898. The applications from October 1898 to 1910 have not been found.

The application form asks detailed questions of the prospective marriage partners and an identifying witness with regard to the partners' marital history, engagement, personal and family information, etc. Unfortunately, the County Clerk was not required by law to retain copies of the corresponding marriage certificates. It cannot be determined from these records, therefore, whether or not a marriage actually took place. Researchers should keep in mind, however, that certificates for any marriages performed in Burlington County during this time should be found among the records of the State Bureau of Vital Statistics (available on microfilm in the Archives search room).